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1/15/13

Raptors are Brooklyn for second time this season. Candice who does some features for us in the DNB took in a game at the Barclay's Center and made this cool video back in 2012:

So there is a bit of a scene setter for you. The scene has changed in Brooklyn quite a lot with the firing of Avery Johnson in Mid-December and being replaced by former Raptors assistant coach P.J Carlesimo on an interim basis. The Nets have responded to the coaching change in a positive way. They are 8-2 in last 10 games and winners of 6 in a row heading into tonight.
This is the third meeting of the season between these teams. It was the Nets is their unplanned home opener over the Raptors 107-100. Lowry and DeRozan combined for 53 points in that loss and Brook Lopez led the Brooklyn side with 27. The second game came with the Raptors coming back from that infamous 0-5 west coast road trip in December. It was the Net again taking the the win 94-88, as both teams were looking to snap 5 game losing streaks.

That game featured a monster double-double by Ed Davis of 24 points and 12 rebounds in his first game in starting line-up after the Bargnani injury in the previous game with Portland. Raptors also played that game without Kyle Lowry which has led to the transition to Jose Calderon as the starter since.

It goes without saying both of this teams have changed quite a bit in just about a month's time. The keys to this match-up have not much though. Deron Williams is always a concern and has enjoyed a decent amount of success against the Raptors and Calderon. The Raptors undermanned front court is going to be in for a long night battling on the glass.

The Raptors face a similar situation that they did with Sixers few days ago. If they win they can hope alive of a split of the season series. The Raptors in the game with Philly got their lone win so far in the Atlantic Division to this point.

On this Week In Raptoland, I said this would be a loss and I remain convinced that will be the case. Will see if the Raptors can pull off a surprise. I would not count on it. Nets have been just as hot as the Raptors of late in fact a bit more as the Raptors have sort of fizzled to start 2013 just 3-3 so far and all home games.

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